Monday, November 30, 2009

Rap is not my thing. I mean, I like all the mainstream stuff that I am sure people that are ACTUALLY into rap don't really care about. I long for the days when rap was fun and poppy and easy. I miss Ice Ice Baby, Push It, Supersonic, Parents Just Don't Understand, Walk This Way.....you get it. Well Kid Sister is a throwback to the 80s, fun, pop-rap. Kid Sister has been around for a while, technically since 2005, but this her debut album is just now being released. She signed to Kanye West's Fool's Gold label in 2007 and released Pro Nails to much critical acclaim and now her album, Ultraviolet, has finally here. This is a fun record. It's rap, but it's got some vocals and plenty of club synths on it. Tracks like Right Hand Hi, the first single, and Step (ft. Estelle) are standout tracks that will have you shakin' your azz all over your room gettin' ready to go out. Big N Bad samples Yaz's Don't Go to great effect, and Kanye West even appears on the song Pro Nails, which is about....well.....you can get guess. Daydreaming is a rap/club/electro ballad, believe it or not, and it actually works pretty well. My favorite track is one that goes back a while. I heard it a couple years ago actually and fell in love immediately. Control is an amazy club track with some fun, retro-sounding lyrics. I dare you not to dance to it. Overall I would say that Ultraviolet is worth a shot if you like to have some music on in the background that will make you move, but I don't know it will stay on my playlist for a long time or turn into a flavor of the month. Only time will tell. For now, I'mma' jam to it!!

One of my boyhood crushes, Billy Idol, is turning 54 today!! Billy was a punk-pop rocker with a sneer and a bad attitude that had a azzload of hits in the 80s and early 90s. Sexy and brash, Billy, along with Rick Springfield and George Michael, was one of the few male singers to grace the walls of my room as a kid. Rock on, Billy!!!! Here's Cradle of Love (sexy) and Eyes Without a Face (pretty).

Susan Boyle is on fire!!!! No, her beautician didn't try to permanently burn off her side burns, her record is selling like hot cakes! SuBo has set the record for fasting selling album of 2009 in the UK with 410,000 units in it's first week AND HAS SET THE RECORD BIGGEST FIRST WEEK SALES IN THE HISTORY OF THE UK CHARTS, according to Official Charts Company data. WOW!!! Say what you want, Susan has some fans apparently. I am not one of them, and despite my being the model of good taste, people are still buying the album. Well, good for her. She seems like a nice, simple lady and maybe that is what people are responding to. SuBo is expected to post big numbers in the US too, so we'll see how huge her impact has been globally. Damn!! [source]

You won't catch Alanis Morisette with a "Say No to Marijuana" shirt on. (do they even have those? and who is "they"?.....anyway) In a recent interview with High Times magazine (love that name), Alanis spoke about the benefits of Mary Jane and how it helps her creative process. "I'm all about moderation - as best I can be. As an artist, there's a sweet jump-starting quality to it for me. I've often felt telepathic and receptive to inexplicable messages my whole life. I can stave those off when I'm not high. When I'm high - well, they come in and there's less of a veil, so to speak. So if ever I need some clarity... or a quantum leap in terms of writing something, it's a quick way for me to get to it." She even said she is so comfortable with weed now that she feels "like a professional" at toking up. Makes sense to me. I have always thought it's crazy that we can drink alcohol and make the dumbest decisions after doing so, but THAT is perfectly legal!! I have never done half the stupid shizz I have done drinking when I was smoking a little pot. AND if pot is what makes Alanis create that music I love, then smoke away, Al!!! BTW, when is the next album? [source]

Kylie Minogue is in New York doing a little recording for her next album (which I am already pre-obsessed with of course) and she is tweeting the cutest little short films of her visit. Here is Kylie on the streets of NYC with a little remix of Wow! playing in the leaves AND making her journey to and crossing the Brooklyn Bridge to a remix of Come Into My World. Enjoy Kylie cuteness.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Back in 1979 everyone was looking to get in on the disco craze. Donna Summer was the undisputed Queen of Disco (in my opinion). She had hit after hit and is really the only artist to survive the death of disco and had a career afterwards. In 1979, Donna teamed up with the legendary Barbra Streisand to record No More Tears (Enough is Enough). The song hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in November 1979 and stayed there for two weeks. It's a feminist anthem and a classic to this very day. Enjoy Donna and Barbra!!

Saturday, November 28, 2009

According to a recent poll that I just conducted right here on That's a Good Blog, you all think Lady Gaga is the recording star of the year. 88% of you picked Gaga, with the other 11% going to Taylor Swift. I cast my vote for Gaga as well, so I am happy you were all smart enough to agree. She really is the only choice for me. Congrats Gaga!!!

OOOPS! I missed Friday, but here is the official Madonna Friday post. In 1994 Madonna was set to release her album Bedtime Stories. The first single, Secret, was a return to her R&B roots that she hadn't visited since her first, self-titled album. Secret, written by Madonna, Dallas Austin and Shep Pettibone was released in September and reached #3 on the Hot 100. The video is shot in black and white and was shot in Harlem. It tells the story of Madonna dating a hot-as-hell black dude who has a secret. Turns out he's a daddy!! Madonna looks H-O-T in this video. Sexy and mysterious, the video is one of Madge's most recognizable. Take a look and enjoy Secret!

The lovely Bebe Zahara Benet, winner of the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race, has released her new single I'm the Shit and a fun little video to go with it. Bebe was faboosh on RDR and I'm glad to see her doing so well. Check out I'm the Shit! Thanks to Queety for posting! [source]

Friday Ellen hosted Lady Gaga once again and our Lady gave a very special performance of her song Speechless. Written as way of reaching out to her father about his problems with alcohol, Gaga gives a gorgeous, stirring rendition. Take a look.

Taylor Laughtner is hosting the December 12th edition of Saturday Night Live. Taylor, of course, the underage sensation who plays hunky werewolf Jacob in New Moon, will show his comedy chops with the cast of SNL. Bon Jovi will be the musical guest for the night to bring the average age above 21. No word yet if his girlfriend, America's sweetheart Taylor Swift, will make a surprise appearance. She recently hosted SNL and won every award that has been given out in the last year. [source]

Sandra Bullock football/chick flick managed to edge out New Moon at the box office on T-gives day. Who knew??? The Bullock movie made $9.5 million off stuffing-bloated moviegoers while the horrifically acting challenged vampire "movie" made $9.2 million. I love Sandra, so even though I would rather pull out my own intestines with a teaspoon than see The Blind Side, I am beyond thrilled that she beat out that vampire movie starring a bunch of zombies and jailbait. GO SANDRA!!!! [source]

Living legend Tina Turner turned 70 years old yesterday while I was stuffing my face with food, so today I will celebrate. Tina is truly a goddess of rock and one of the most incredible performers to ever live. Her influence, guts and story will live on forever. Here is one of Tina's biggest hits and a personal fave of mine, We Don't Need Another Hero.

UK Pop star Cheryl Cole has released, in my opinion, the standout track from her album 3 Words, the title song, with will.I.am. I love this song. It's sparse and dark and moody and sexy. Check out the just released video and tell me what you think. Love it? Hate it?

You may follow my personal Twitter account located on the side of this blog, but if you want updates and direct links to posts on Twitter from That's a Good Blog, you can follow TAGB's official Twitter HERE. Go ahead, it won't bite........unless you want it to. (that doesn't make any sense)

Nelly Furtado at least is willing to admit she is annoying and a flash-in-the-pan. In a recent interview, the already-hasbeen was quoted in Germany's Petra magazine as saying, "I'm not ready to adjust physically just to be marketable. My sell-by date will run out eventually." It already did as far as I'm concerned. She then mouth-farted, "Unlike Madonna, I wouldn't be willing to do Pilates round the clock just to slow down the deterioration of my body. I prefer to sit in the kitchen, drink tea and eat biscuits." Well, that's why your azz is the size of a small village. I now officially hate Nelly Furtado. Any moron can look at Madonna and know she has done what she's done to build an incredible career. Nelly's days were numbered from I'm Like a Bird. The fact she got a second chance at all was a miracle. Go away, Nelly Furtado. Your name sounds like a breakfast snack from Taco Bell. You DO NOT mess with my Madge.

It seems as though all my prayers to the God of Gayness have been answered, Maria Von Trapp will sing again!!! Oscar-winning legend Julie Andrews, 74, has barely sung a note since her 1997 throat surgery, but has been a pioneer in research to help mend damaged vocal chords. Andrews is now wet to return to the stage in London's O2 arena. It will be her first stage appearance in the UK in 30 years. Her performance will include many of her classic songs from movies, some from her more recent projects, such as the Shrek movies, and she will narrate a children's book, Simeon's Gift, which she wrote with her daughter. The Dame stated, "to perform once again in my homeland on the London stage will be a wonderful moment. It is where it all began for me." It's nice to have a legend back in business. [source]

Britain's Got Talent/Internet sensation Susan Boyle is big!!! Not just her underwear, but her record sales. Boyle's debut album, I Dreamed a Dream, is in the running to surpass Eminem's top debuting album, The Relapse, for first week sales on the Billboard 200. That album scanned 608,000 last May according the Nielsen SoundScan. WHAT? Okay, I get it. Her voice is nice, but c'mon!!! I had no idea THAT many people were so hungry for mediocre vocal/pop. I mean, Lady Gaga, Adam Lambert (both also exceeding sales expectations as well) and Rihanna (sadly underperforming with her amazing Rated R) all debut this week, and SuBo is going to beat them all. Of course, her lasting power on the charts will not be the same as theirs since she is basically a novelty act, so we'll see how the final numbers play out. I guess good for her (and her record label and Simon Cowell). Get it while the gettin's good. [source]

Glee is taking a long azz break and nobody is happy about it. Fox announced that Glee will air it's final show of 2009 on December 9 and then not coming back until APRIL 13, 2010!!!! WHAT IN GAY HELL ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT!!!!?????? How are we supposed to live without Glee for that long? I mean, it doesn't seem like a smart decision. It is to make room for American Idol, but Glee is the perfect companion for AI, right? Don't worry though, we can all make our voices heard. Go to the Glee Hiatus Petition Site and put your name down. Only you can make a difference, well you probably can't, but you can try. DON'T GO AWAY, GLEE!! WE NEED YOU!!!!

Child rapist Roman Polanski has been granted bail from a Swiss court for the sum of $4.5 million dollars. He will remain under house arrest at his Swiss Chalet with electronic monitoring. The Swiss Justice Ministry says it will keep Chester the Child Molester in jail until a decision is made whether or not to appeal to the supreme court. Polanski fled justice in the 70s after drugging and having sex with a 13 year-old child. He has remained in his life of luxury for the years since, making films and living the high life. Even his house arrest is cooshy!!!! Keep his azz in jail, I say. Money can get you out of jail, but it doesn't clear your conscience. [variety]

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Off to Cincinnati!!! Flying out tonight for a lovely visit to Ohio for thanksgiving with my boyfriend and his family. I'll be blogging and checking in with you while I'm on vacation, so check in! I'll have a special t-give day message for you, but for now, gotta fly!!!!

Hot!!! Kelis is going in a VERY different direction!!!! Acapella is a dance/trance track and Kelis is smokin' on it. I'm so used to hearing those choppy beats and hip-hop sounds from Kelis, but this shizz is crazy. Love it!!! Club it!!!! Her milkshake has not gone sour yet!

Beyonce is still spewing out songs from I Am...Sasha Fierce, which has sold 2.5 million copies in the US alone, and she recently told her audience on the British leg of her "I Am..." tour that she is working on new tunes for an upcoming album. Heaven forbid she take a break!! Beyonce told the crowd at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, "This is my last show for this tour in the UK, so hopefully, I'll see you all in a year with a new album." I mean, I have a hit and miss relationship with B and her music. For every amazing song there are three that I want to stomp to death. At least she is a true performer with a great voice. I could do without a new song from her for a week or so though. Rest, girl. We arent' going anywhere!!! [source]

Here is a clip of the performance and interview for Jay Leno last night. She is totally cute and at ease with Jay. Gaga is so much more personable in interviews than you would expect. I thought she would just be a freakshow!! ha. Enjoy!!!

The countdown to Armageddon begins!! I can't stand Mariah Carey. There, I said it. BUT I recently saw Precious and she was kinda amazy! I couldn't believe that overweight lady with the mustache was Mariah!! I figured she was playing Precious. I kid, I kid. Mariah only has 5 minutes of screen time as the social worker trying to help a troubled teen, but it was enough to get her recognized as the Breakthrough Performance at the 21st Palm Spring International Film Festival. She does really do a great job and actually deserves a little pat on the back. Now just stop being annoying and wear clothes in YOUR size and you may win me back, Mariah! Nah, probably not.

I watched this fascinating Lady Gaga interview last night on FUSE. I have to say FUSE has really taken over MTV as far as actual MUSIC content. They show videos and have interviews and don't waste their time on stupid "reality" shows. Anyway, Gaga talks about her understanding and support of the gay community, the Kanye incident, Beyonce, Madonna, bullying, and why rap's mostly homophobic stance is W-R-O-N-G!! Gaga is really outspoken in this interview and she gives you some insight into the writing of the new material on The Fame Monster. Take a look!

GET OVER IT!!! You have seen these things done a million times and you know it!!!! 1500 people called ABC, which they rate as a "moderate" response (in terms of viewers, not that many), but that anyone would call about it at all is stupid beyond belief!! How many people called about Janet grabbing her cooch or about Eminiem and 50 Cent's performance so bleeped that you could only hear one word per sentence? Because it's bleeped we don't get the gist of the content in THAT song???? I don't think so. Female artists and rappers have pushed the envelope for years with very little consequence (except for "nipple-gate" of course), but let a gay man get touchy-feely or kiss on stage and all hell breaks lose? Please!!! Even Lady Gaga yelled "BITCH" twice during her performance without a bleep at all. Parents want their kids to say bitch? Mine didn't. Anyhooo, I guess what I'm saying is those 1500 people obviously have no life and no other form of entertaining themselves to call networks and complain about morality, or THEIR idea of morality, so let them be sad a**holes and we'll just enjoy the fun.

Monday, November 23, 2009

I was watching Pop Lab on Logo today and this song/video came on and I was like WHAT????? First of all, the song is hot and second of all, the beginning of the video has Lolene's body as a hotel and guess where the entrance is? I wouldn't want to work at THAT front desk, but to each his own. Don't ask where they take the trash out, you don't want to know. Anyway, as I said, the song is hot so listen. Who the hell is Lolene? Why have I not heard of her? Well she is British and her new album comes out early 2010, so that's all you need to know so far I guess.Sexy People - Official Video

Wow, this is the gayest day in music in a long time. First Adam Lambert, now Lady Gaga!!! Gaga released her follow/addition to her amazy album The Fame, aptly titled The Fame Monster. You can buy it together with the original songs, or as a separate, 8-track stand alone album. Either way, it is absolutely stunning. Every single song is great and it is not just a rehash of the material you hear on The Fame. Bad Romance, already in heavy rotation in my house, is one of those songs that you like more every time you hear it. Alejandro, a mid-tempo song with a catchy "Ale-Alejandro" phrase starts off with a Euro-folk violin and an imitation of a dramatic movie. Moving into Monster, we hear Gaga stating "He ate my heart" over and over to a deep-synth beat over a smooth groove. This song is begging for a club mix. Speechless, which she performed at last night's AMA, is a beautiful song that hearkens back, strangely enough, to the Rocky Horror ballads. Dark and moody with great chord progressions. Dance in the Dark has on 80's Berlin-esque feel to it and is about a girl that uses all that medical science offers to better herself, but still prefers to dance in the dark because "when he's looking she falls apart". Telephone features Beyonce, their second song together (Beyonce's remix of Video Phone fts. Gaga). Starting off slow, the song breaks out into a club-thumper with fast-paced lyrics. Beyonce sounds great with Gaga. My fave so far is a sumptuous, heavy electro sounding So Happy I Could Die. Gorgeous vocals highlight a song about a "lavender blond" that is making our Gaga touch herself....a lot. It has a very Pet Shop Boys/Erasure feel to it. There is a great stutter hook that will have you singing along. The final new song, Teeth, has a Middle Eastern, stomping beat. It's aggressive and sexy as Gaga dares you to "take a bite" out of her. I have to say that this album is even better than most of the song on The Fame. It should put to rest any discussion on whether or not Lady Gaga will follow up The Fame with as much success. She is brilliant and she is here to stay!!!! GAGA FOREVER!!!!!!!

Let me start off by saying that I did NOT watch American Idol last season. I had no pre-conceived notions about Adam Lambert until his very recent performances, and this kid is something. Lambert's debut album comes out today and is available on iTunes. IT'S A DOOZY!!! Not since Queen or the 80s hair-metal bands has a guy sung with so much strut and gusto in his voice. The difference: Adam is campy and touching and ironic and fun all at once. There are big, soaring ballad, a la Celine Dion, on Soaked, a song worthy of Queen's greatest hits, and Broken Open, a sparse, electro-ballad that showcases Adam's voice perfectly. For Your Entertainment, the first single, is a great dance romp, but not the best on the album. That honor goes to Fever, a sexy song co-written by Lady Gaga, about getting hot for your lover, and Adam does not shy away from letting you know that his love is of the same sex. Finally, a brave pop singer!!!! Loaded with hit potential, including Sure Fire Winners, Aftermath, Pick U Up, and Strut, this album deserves to big a huge hit. We'll see what kind of effect last night's AMA performance has on sales. It could go either way. Either way, move over Scissor Sisters and Mika, Adam Lambert set the bar for falsetto rock with this one. It's amazy!!!!! Maybe "Sir" Gaga? Who knows.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

I am sure we are all going to see and hear about this tomorrow. Adam Lambert tore through his new single, For Your Entertainment, on the AMAs tonight, and there will be no talk of him trying to de-gay himself after THIS one. He had a guy pretend to go down on him (and a girl) made out with his male keyboard player and gave a very crotch-centric performance overall. It was high energy and he sounded great. I guess there will be plenty of talk about this tomorrow!

Still enjoying your Glee Vol. 1 soundtrack? Well now you can pre-order Vol. 2 on iTunes HERE!!!! If you watch the show, you'll have an idea of what is in store for you: Endless Love, Lean On Me, I'll Stand By You. Some songs they haven't done yet on the shows including: True Colors, Jump, Smile, And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going and My Life Would Suck Without You, among others. I for one have already placed my order. A little early Xmas present to myself. Get yours now!

Last Thursday's finale of Project Runway not only saw the very talented, bitch from hell Irina walk away with the top prize, but it also drew in the highest ratings of the season with about 4.2 million viewers. I guess that's good since that's what finale's are supposed to do! The season's finale was down about 11% from last years season ender, but I think the move to lifetime and the long wait in between considered, that is to be expected. It's still a huge score for the Lifetime Network, who "aquired" (i.e. stole) the show from Bravo after last season, forcing Bravo to do The Fashion Show with Isaac Mizrahi and Kelly "I have seen over 1 fashion shows" Rowland. That was the worst show I ever had to watch every episode of twice!!! Anyhooo, Project Runway will debut it's next season in January 2010, which makes me smile down there, and it will move back to NYC!!!! YEAH!!!! [source]

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Icelandic crazy person and all around genius, Bjork, is 44 today. I love this hot mess. She is talented, original, cute as button and crazy as a switch engine. My fave song by Bjork is Venus as a Boy, which is in the movie Leon (The Professional), which is when I fell in love with it, and on her record Debut. Bjork was also the star of the soul crushingly good Dancer in the Dark. If you haven't seen that movie, put yourself on suicide watch and rent it. Anyhoo......here is Bjork's video for Venus as a Boy. Love it!!!!

Did you take a ride on a disco stick? Were you a single lady? Did you write a love story? Were you getting all nostalgic? Did you play Russian roulette? Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson and Rihanna all had big years in the charts and the news, but who was the biggest star of all this year? Check out the pole on the side and let me know what you think. Should be an interesting thing to see what public opinion is.

Boy was I wrong!!! I really judged to quickly on giving Rihanna's new album a B. After really sitting and listening to this record, it is actually pretty freakin' amazy!!!!!! Rihanna has opened up on these tracks and it is not only commendable, it's down right revolutionary. Songs like Stupid In Love, Russian Roulette, Cold Case Love and Fire Bomb are emotionally charged and full of melodies to kill for. Rude Boy and Rockstar 101 are party ready and hot as a two-dollar pistol. Wait Your Turn and G4L and Hard are stomping, dark gangsta' tour de force. Photograph with will.I.am is sexy and slinky and The Last Song is a heartbreaking ballad that should not be overlooked. I was particularly harsh on Te Amo. The story contained in the song is moving and really deep. The problem with having to write a review before really getting immersed in an album is that you miss all the nuances involved, which is exactly what happened on this one. Rihanna, sorry girl!! You're album kicks ass.

An album signing at the Roosevelt Field Mall in Long Island this weekend turned into a whirlwind of fingernails, braces and training bras as young fans rioted and generally lost their shizz trying to get to 15-year-old singing sensation Justin Bieber. The Usher protege was there for an innocent appearance to give the girls something to giggle and scribble on their notebooks about all week (until they forget about him and go back to Taylor Lautner) when security decided that they couldn't control the 1,000 young "ladies" that showed up at the mall. As soon as the announcement was made, all hell broke loose!!! One poor little girl was injured and had to go to the hospital, although TMZ is reporting is was only minor injuries. Beiber took to his Twitter page to write to his fans saying, "The event at Roosevelt mall is cancelled. please go home. the police have already arrested one person from my camp. I don't want anyone hurt." I wish I had a "camp" when I was 15. I mean, I had no one to protect my popped collars or Vanilla Ice hair or to pinch-roll my jeans. Girls, seriously, he is not that cute. I guarantee you will have moved on by....oh, you already moved on? Okay. Enough said then. [source]

Janet previewed her video earlier in the week, and now we get to see the full enchilada! Shot in black and white, the video is sleek, futuristic (maybe a nod to Scream) and the song is fun. Here is Janet's Make Me.

I know, I know. People are batsh*t crazy about Twilight!!! I get it. Despite the fact that Kristen Stewart looks like a male zombie who someone has repeatedly punched in the face with a bitter stick, her portrayal of Bella along with Robert Pattinson, the human equivalent of a nap, and Taylor Lautner, the pedophile's dream, has set a new record for midnight showings as New Moon opens with a whopping $26.3 million on 3,514 screens. That beats the previous record set by the MUCH SUPERIOR IN EVERY WAY Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince from this summer which grossed $22.2 million in 4,024 theatres this past summer. UGH!! I (reluctantly) saw the first one and I wanted to poke my eyes out during the first five minutes of the movie, so unless my boyfriend threatens to break up with me, I will not be seeing this one. C'MON, PEOPLE!!!! ENOUGH!!!! [source]

IT IS NOT BECAUSE I ENDORSE HER. I DO NOT PICK THE ADS THAT GO ON THIS SITE. LET ME BE VERY VERY VERY CLEAR IN STATING THAT I THINK SARAH PALIN IS A STUPID, LOW CLASS, UNEDUCATED, RIDICULOUS, FUNCTIONALLY RETARDED BIMBO WHO HAS NO BUSINESS IN POLITICS OR SOCIETY IN GENERAL!!!! THIS IS OFFICIAL. SHE SUCKS!!!!

I mentioned it a few weeks back, but Annie's excellent album, Don't Stop, is now available on iTuneshere! I have been looking forward to this release forever. Anniemal, her first record, was so amazing that I was really looking forward to something great from Annie........ and I got it! Don't Stop takes the best of the first album and builds on it. This album is full of fun, melodic, beautiful, eccentric songs. The uptempo tracks like Don't Stop, Hey Annie, The Breakfast Song and Loco are addictive. The slower songs such as Marie Cherie, Take You Home and When the Night are nice slices of electro-pop that retain as softness and intimacy that lure you right in. Annie has topped her first album and really deserves some recognition for it. Pass it on!!

The best show that has ever been on television since the beginning of time, RuPaul's Drag Race, has given us a little sneak peek into season 2 and our new batch of lovely ladies competing for the crown. You can go to the show's website to see the contestents in all their glory and to watch ALL the episodes from Season 1 (which were amazy), but here's a short promo clip to get you through your long work day!!!

JOKE ALERT: How many producers does it take to make a Jennifer Lopez song? 12. 11 to write it and one to teach the computer how to sing it. SNAP!!!!

J.Lo is coming back on the music scene. With a new single coming out and a high-octane performance planned for this Sunday on the American Music Awards, Jennifer is busting out of the block and hitting the stage. Her new single, Louboutins (yes, like the shoes) is on the net and it's.......okay. I mean she is in key (unlike THIS mess she released recently), but it lacks the same magic as her past hits like Love Don't Cost a Thing, Waiting for Tonight, or Jenny From the Block. Is it time for Jennifer to try movies again? I haven't given up hope yet. I love ya still, Jen 'Pez!!!! Here's Louboutins.

In 1987 Madonna released the movie Who's That Girl, and it didn't do that well. I personally like the film and think Madonna is really cute in it, but that's neither here nor there (ps...I'm right). While the movie didn't go gangbusters, the soundtrack was a succcess and Madonna had two big hits on the Hot 100 with Who's That Girl (#1) and Causing A Commotion (#2). The third and final single from the soundtrack was a song called The Look of Love. While never released in the US, the song was a hit in the UK, Ireland and other parts of Europe and Asia. It's a beautiful ballad with an ethereal quality to it that stands up well against any of Madonna's output during her 80s streak of mega-hits. The video contains clips from the film and Madge looking fabo, of course. Griffin Dunne is the guy in the movie with her and he is nerd-liciously cute!!! Enjoy The Look of Love.

The ruler of the free world, Oprah Winfrey, is set to announce to her followers that she will end her show in 2011. That is the plot of a new disaster movie called 2011. Oprah tells audience, audience loses their collective mind, havoc is reaked!!!! Ha. It actually might happen that way, so maybe I shouldn't joke. The big O has already announced that she will be starting her own network, OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network, also meaning she OWNs you and everything else!) with the Discovery Network. Her show will be missed, but I bet we'll see her on her network enough. [source][picture source]

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Raspberry Beret was the first single off of Prince & the Revolution's album Around the World in a Day. The track noted a shift in the style of Prince's music, coming after the massive success of the album and movie Purple Rain, Prince, with the help and influence of Wendy & Lisa, moved in a much more psychodelic and orchestrated direction. The song was released about the same time as the album, with no promotion. Prince wanted to give his fans a special surprise, so Around the World in a Day simply showed up at record stores upon it's release. Yea, Prince!!! The song was instantly a fan fave and went to #2 on the Hot 100. Prince still performs it to this day. Enjoy Raspberry Beret........or else! [picture source]

In case you missed it, Janet Jackson was interviewed last night on ABC by Robin Roberts. She was sweet, thoughtful, if still a little withdrawn. You got the feeling this lady is still not ready or willing to fully open up to the public, and since her brother just died, I don't really blame her. She is a superstar in her own right with accomplishments even Michael didn't achieve (Rythm Nation had more top 5 hits than Thriller), but she is still shy and has issues with her looks. Watch the interview on the links bellow.Part 1Part 2 Part 3Part 4 Part 5Part 6

Forbe's Magazine has put out thier list of Hollywood's Most Overpaid Stars and Will Ferrell is the "winner". The Old School actor has had a string of box office duds compared to his salary has calculated to just $3.29 of profit for every dollar he is paid. Looks like he might want to consider lowering his price for the next screwball comedy. Second on the list is Ewan McGregor(does being hot count for nothing???), followed by Billy Bob Thornton(no wonder he just wants to be a musician now), Eddie Murphy(in his defense, he has to work when he can cuz he has a new baby every three days) and Ice Cube(DUH!!!). Getting some good news, Shia Le Beouf has been crowned the Best Actor for the Buck, showing profits of $160 for every dollar he is paid. Guess people aren't "Shia-ing" away from his movies. Shut up! {source]

......Or should I say America's Next NOT Model. Just kidding. She's a lovely girl, Tyra's first mini-model, but Nicole has taken the title of Cycle 13's (yes, there's been that many) ANTM. Congrats, Nicole!!!! You're pretty and fierce!!!!

This is one of my fave shows on Logo, Jeffery and Cole Casserole. One of their funniest bits is their morning show parody "Wake Up Wisconsin". Soooo funny. This one is all about their producer, Tom. Check it!!

It's being reported that Michael Jackson will duet with some of the biggest names in the music biz, including Madonna, Beyonce and Britney Spears. Not sure how much I believe this one, but the Hindustan Times is saying that music producer Mike Blakey is the mastermind behind the new project that will be utilizing recordings made by Jackson that will be reworked as duets with the other stars. “There are going to be some big surprises both in the tracks used and who is involved,” said Blakey. I would LOVE to hear this and it would be interesting, but I think we would have heard of this in every major publication by now if it were going to happen. We can hope though! [source][pic source]

Jenna Jameson, one of if not THE biggest pornstars ever on the face (or other parts) of the planet was on Oprah yesterday. The show was all about porn and erotica and Jenna was there to talk about her life now as a retired pornstar and mother of two twin boys. We get a look at her home (WOW!!) and she talks with Oprah about how she feels about her past and her future. It's a very interesting and insightful interview. No matter how you feel about the porn industry or what you think of Jenna, I think you'll be surprised by some of her answers and maybe by Oprah's views on it as well. Here is the interview. [picture source]

Kim Wilde, two-hit wonder (in the US anyway), turns 49 today. Kim is best known for her hits Kids In America and You Keep Me Hangin' On. A dead-ringer for Kelly McGillis (tell me she's not!), Kim burst on the scene in the early 80s as a sexy, blond minx and took home the 1983 BRIT award for Best British female solo artist. Still making music today and touring around Europe, Kim divides her time between singing and her passion for gardening. Here's Kim with You Keep Me Hangin' On.

Jennifer Hudson, former American Idol contestant and Oscar winner for Dreamgirls, is set to play Winnie Mandela, the former wife of the South Africa's first black president, Nelson Mandela according to Variety. Winnie Mandela's past is a complicated one. While a strong supporter of her husband, even being jailed for campaigning for his release from jail, and a mother to Mandela's children, Winnie was also associated with a bodyguard who killed a 14-year-old alleged informer and was later convicted of fraud. The film will focus on both sides of her story. “I was compelled and moved when I read the script,” Hudson said. “Winnie Mandela is a complex and extraordinary woman and I’m honored to be the actress asked to portray her. This is a powerful part of history that should be told.” While Hudson won accolades for her portrayal of Effie in Dreamgirls, her acting ability has been less than stellar in subsequent projects. Maybe this is the material that will bring her back to form. Hope so. Maybe she'll record a stirring anthem. She's not going...... [picture source]

Okay, let me start off by saying that I do not like Twilight. I hate it in fact. That being said, I do kinda understand why Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (ick) would be tired of answering questions about thier alleged show-mance. (BTW: if those two had a baby, how greasy would THAT thing be?) Anyhooooooo.....so I wasn't surprised to hear that R. Pat would get up and walk out on Ryan Seacrest if he asked him about it. I wanted to see the video. Turns out, he DIDN'T just get up and walk out. He was actually relaxed and gracious and even answered the question by telling everyone to come see the movie and find out. Yes, his publicist was not having the question, and quite frankly I think Seacrest could think of a better question that we havn't heard 100 times before. Anyway, here is the video of how it all went down. What do you think?

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Except by me because I LOVED LOVED LOVED this song!!!! Back in 1987, Herb Alpert was an established horn player who hadn't had a hit in a while. He teamed up with Janet's producing super-duo, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. One of the results was Diamonds, a song recorded with vocals by Janet Jackson and Lisa Keith (but really just Janet) and hit #5 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the R&B charts. Herb didn't have another hit, but Janet was just at the beginning of her streak, which of course boosted this song as well. Don't get me wrong though, the funky horn and "dontcha know, diamonds are a girl's best friend" chorus rocked my world. Check out the much forgotten and often underrated Diamonds!! [source]

And here it is! It's been on the web for a while, but I thought I would share it here and see what you all think. It is pretty damn good and Michael's voice has held up pretty well. Gaga is singing backup and they sound good together. The song is called Murder My Heart.

Due to her being nominated for Best Dance Recording for Just Dance at LAST year's awards, Lady Gaga, the clear and only choice anyone would think of, is not eligible for Best New Artist THIS year. BOOOO!!!! I know it's only fair, but since she is the best, most exciting new act since Madonna made the scene (Madonna was not nominated either), I am guessing she'll be nominated for a few other awards. Like BEST THING EVER SINCE MADONNA. That's a category, right? Of all the names being batted around for Best New Artist so far, I am fully on board with MGMT, who I L-O-V-E. They rock. Here's MGMT with their song Kids. [source]

Rihanna recently performed her live show at the Nokia Theatre on 11/16. She is promoting her new album, Rated R (read my review here). Here is a clip of her doing Mad House/Wait Your Turn live in London.

RuPaul is 49 today!!!!! Beyotch is aging like fine wine. Seems like just yesterday (but it wasn't) that Ru exploded onto MTV with Supermodel, and now she has her own, supes popular show on Logo. Watch her lip sync for her life!! Let's celebrate with some hot, drag love. You betta' work!!!!!! [picture source]

Don't get excited, it's nothing scandalous. Just what you would expect from a nice young man, Glee star Cory Monteith, who plays jock turned singer Finn, has opened up about his co-stars and who is their class's most likely to succeed. When asked who has a huge recording career ahead of them, Cory insists, "Amber Riley (Mercedes), without hesitation. There's something about her that needs to sing. It comes from somewhere that I don't really get." Who is the best actor according to Finn? "Chris Colfer (Kurt)," Monteith said. "I think he's going win a Golden Globe or something." And the best dancer is a nice surprise, "Kevin McHale, who plays Artie in the wheelchair. Isn't that ironic? He's a terrific dancer and a big Michael Jackson fan." Cory sounds like a sweetheart. I really like this cast and I am so excited every week to see and hear what they do next. Glee!!!!!!!!

While I don't watch Gossip Girl, I did record it last night to fast forward to Lady Gaga's performance of Bad Romance. (Fun Fact: IT WAS AT THE VERY END!!! ARGH!) Anyhoo, unfortunately, Gaga's performance was not the main focus of the part she was performing. They kept cutting out to dialogue between the characters, so you don't really get the full Gaga-effect. Check it out anyway. Hilary Duff looks pretty!!!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Janet is working on the video for Make Me, her new single off her Number Ones cd out next week. Her ABC interview with Diane Sawyer airs the 18th. Here is a sneak peek at what looks like is going to be a high-energy, dance video for Make Me. The song, by the way, is really growing on me.

Hey, Rihanna. Mad much? Angry much? Dark much?Rihanna has a lot to live up to. Her last album, Good Girl Gone Bad, was a smash and a never ending hit parade: Umbrella, Rehab, Don't Stop the Music, Take a Bow, etc. etc. etc. Pretty amazy. Now, after a really hard few months and much unwanted tabloid attention due to her domestic abuse case against that douche bag, RiRi is back with the much darker, less club friendly Rated R. Starting off with a dark, scary sounding Mad House, a short introduction to the cd, we really get started with Wait Your Turn, a track that I featured the video for on here a while back. Sounding hard and using the F-bomb, Rihanna is clearly not focusing her attention on the tween crowd with this disc. This track is pretty good and has a nice chorus, but it has a midtempo beat that doesn't quite pull you in. The same can be said for Hard (ft. Jeezy), which sounds A LOT like Lil' Kim's Lighters Up with it's reggae-tinged sound. Stupid In Love softens things up a bit with a ballad, but the lyrics are still about an abusive relationship gone wrong, telling her lover not to "talk to me like I'm stupid". Wonder who that's about? This tune is a bit more like the Rihanna we know, hearkening back to Take a Bow and Unfaithful. Rockstar 101 is a guitar driven ride that features Slash from G-n-R to nice effect. Another posey, badass lyric with a midtempo beat. The pace is getting a bit draggy at this point, but the songs are still good. I need to dance a little though. Well, not yet because next is the very, very ominous Russian Roulette. This song is about as dark as you can get with lyrics about life ending and closing with the sound of a gun shot. We seem to really be seeing into her mind on this track. Fire Bomb slows us down again with a pretty, yet again dark, ballad comparing love to a car crash. Yikes! I'm starting to get depressed now. Rude Boy picks up the pace a bit. Sassy and sexy, Rihanna gives us a little breath of fresh air on this one, sexing a boy and getting aggressive with him asking him "can you get it up" and telling him to "take it, take it". So far, this is the closest to a party we've gotten, and I'll take it. Then BAM!! With the assistance of will.I.am, we go back to balladry. Photographs is a song about a past boyfriend who has betrayed her. Again pretty, again dark. Can someone get this razor out of my arm's reach? I am afraid of how it's looking at this point. G4L starts off with "I lick the gun when I'm done cuz I know that revenge is so sweet". This one is getting hardcore, complete with phrases like "gangsta for life" (get it? G4L?) and freely using the "n" word. A statement is being made here people!! It's hitting us over the head. This cd may kill you!! ON the upside, G4L is one other uptempo track, so you can dance, very angrily, to this one. Te Amo is a latin (duh) sounding track that really doesn't add to this disc at all as far as I'm concerned. Not dark enough to fit and not good enough to bring you anywhere else. Throw away. Cold Case Love...... ballad, dark, blah blah blah. Honestly at this point is doesn't matter so much how good the music is, you have to change things up a bit unless you are making a record that is SUPPOSED to depress you. This song IS good, by the way, but if you make it this far in one sitting, you will be wiped out. I am. The last song on the album, aptly titled The Last Song, is not going to lift your spirits. Trust me. Dark, moody, guitar and piano driven, the lyrics are about the last song you'll ever here. Way to cheer us up there at the end, RiRi!! Now, all this being said, there is some fine work here and a lot of great music, but when you have an entire album full of ominous chords and morose lyrics, it will take its toll on the listener. Taken one at a time, I think a lot of these songs have hit potential, but you should really only listen to the whole cd at once if you are mad at someone, or yourself, and you want to be angry for a while. Buy it, but don't put it on at a party.

S-S-S-S-Samantha Fox! On December 14th Ms. Fox will be releasing a two-disc set of her greatest hits, remixes and unreleased tracks entitled "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now". Back in the 80s the busty singer hit the charts with some great pop songs including Touch Me (I Want Your Body), Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now, I Wanna Have Some Fun, Naughty Girls (Need Love Too) and I Only Wanna Be With You. Known as much for her ample bosom as her singing, (she started off as a topless model in the UK) Samantha did manage to chart in several countries around the world and is still making the rounds today and looking pretty good doing it. Hits and Tits, what else do you need?